Lectures Upon the Epistles to the Thessalonians, Part 1 · Lecture 25
THE XXV. LECTVRE VPONUPON THE FIRST EPISTLE OF PAVL TO THE THESSALONIANS.
1. THESSA. CHAP. 5. verſ. 18. 19.
18 In all thinges giuegive thankes for this is the vvill of God in Chriſt Ieſus, tovvard you?
19 Quench not the Spirit.
THE laſt part of this Epiſtle (Brethren) which we hauehave in hand preſently, ſtands in an exhortation to an holie lyfe and conuerſation vvorthie of the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. The laſt day, we ſhew you, there are three preceptes joyned together; the precepte of patience, to beare vvrong and injuries in this vvorlde patientlie, and not to rander euill for euill, as we are bent by nature, but, to do good for euill. Then next, the precept of joy, the inward joy, and peace of ſoule and conſcience, that paſſes all vnderſtanding that, euermore we ſhold rejoyce. And laſt, the precept of prayer, which ſtandes in two partes, the one, in ſeeking at the hands of God; the other, in thanking him, for the grace receiued at his handes. We ſhew you that conjunction that is among theſe graces, patience, joy and prayer, patience is the effect of joy, and the inward joy that is heauenly and ſpirituall is the meane to enterteine patience, and to make a man beare patiently the wrongs he ſuffers in this preſent world▪ for, in a maner, it rauiſhes him vp aboue the world and all thinges in the world, and makes him to looke ouer all theſe earthly thinges and injuries that falles out in the world, as though they were not, and, in ſome meaſure, he hes his contemplation with God, in Heauen. So, that, the joy he hes will ſwallow vp all theſe earthly troubles, and the life of God in him will ſwallow vp mortalitie and death. Againe, praier is the meane to enterteine that joy we hauehave with God, for, it keeps Gods preſence and the face of Ieſus in our ſight, and the face of Ieſus is ſo joyfull, as no tongue can tell: For, all the light and joy we hauehave in our harts proceedes from the face of Ieſus, and from the face of God in Chriſt, and then, it ſhynes on vsus. And this face of Ieſus it ſhines in the Goſpell. And therefore, bleſſed were we, if we could looke euer in the mirrour of the Goſpell, where we ſhall get this light and the face of Chriſt, that makes vsus rejoyce: it appeares in a mirrour now, but, we ſhall ſee him face to face, when the body of Ieſus ſhall be perfect; all is but a beginning now, that, we hauehave here, he is far from vsus, and al the ſight we hauehave of him is but a blenke; let eueryevery one looke to experience; there are ſo many thinges goes in betweene vsus and him, that we can skarcely keepe his face, in the which ſtandes our joy. Alwaies, it is prayer, that enterteines this preſence of God; looke to it by experience, take away prayer that men pray not to God, take away mediatation and thanking of God, take away this communing with God, it ſhall paſſe thy power, to hauehave any preſence of him, and without his preſence, no joy in him. Then, ſhortly, to come to the matter in hand: This prayer conſiſtes in two parter. In asking and ſeeking at him, according to the needs and miſters we hauehave, we are ful of wants and miſters. There is none of vsus all, from the greateſt to the loweſt, from the King to the begger but great is the need we hauehave; ſo, eueryevery one of vsus hes need to be begging: neuer was there a begger at our doore, that hes ſo great neede to beg, as we hauehave neede to beg at Gods hand: beg things ſpirituall and things temporall; things for this life, things for the life to come; for, if we beg not, we ſhall die for hunger and plaine want of grace, and we ſhall, not onelyonly loſe this lyfe preſent, but a better life, life euerlaſting. The next part of Praier is thankſgiuing; we ſpoke the laſt day of ſeeking. Now, this day, firſt, in this text, we hauehave red, we hauehave to ſpeak of thankſgiuing which we ſhould rander to God.
The wordes are. In all thinges giuegive thankes; for, this is the vvill of God. When he hes ſaid, pray continuallie, immediatlie he ſubjoynes, in all thinges giuegive thankes. Marke it. So he joynes theſe two together,Sec. part of prayer; thankſgiuing. Prayer, or, asking at God, and then, thanking of him. Brethren, I ſee, not onelyonly in this preſent text theſe two thinges, Prayer and thankeſgiuing joyned together, but, in ſundrie other places, Philippi. chap. 4. verſe 6. Be not carefull for any thing, but, in euerie thing let your requeſtes bee ſhovven foorth to God by prayer and ſupplication vvith thankeſgiuing. To the Coloſſians 4 chap. 2. verſe, Continue, ſayes he, in prayer and vvatching, vvith thankeſgiuing. there, they are conjoyned:Seking & thanksgiuing, euer ioined together. the one of theſe ſhould not be ſeuered from the other; Prayer ſhould not be ſeuered from thankſgiuing, thankſgiuing ſhould not be ſeuered from prayer. The neede and neceſſity we hauehave in this world, that mooues vsus to prayer, is not ſo great, but, euer there is matter of thankſgiuing to God, for the graces that is giuen eueryevery moment of our lyfe, day and night: For, there are none of vsus, but we hauehave experimented, in ſome meaſure, the bountifulneſſe of our louing God; who dare ſay otherwaies, but in the greateſt ſtrate, that euer he was in, he …and by experience of the mercy of God, a meaſure of grace, for reliefe? Alas, if it wer no more, but this grace; in thy need, to get grace to ſeek grace, it is a ſpeciall grace; thou art obliſt to thanke God, for that grace, thou getſt, to beg grace. Againe the bleſſing and mercy of God is neuer ſhowen on vsus in ſuch aboundance in this world, but, in the me and … thou haſt neede and miſter, and in the moſt flooriſhing eſtate, thou art in, thou ſtandeſt in neede. The greateſt Monarch, that is in his greateſt flooriſhing, he ſtandes in neede; and therefore, as he hes cauſe to thanke that God, that hes exalted him, ſo hes he cauſe, to be a begger, to ſeeke more: For, there is a Kingdome, that is aboue all Kingdomes; a glorie, aboue all this glorie; riches, aboue all theſe riches; a pleaſure, aboue all earthlie pleaſure; ſo, as long as thou art not come to this hight; yet, beg, for, none ſhall come to that hight, neyther King, nor, Monarch ſhall come there, but, by continuall begging. Ye ſee Dauid, in his Pſalmes, he prayes and askes, when he is in neede and in his neceſſitie. But, at that ſame very tyme, he alſo thankes: Ye ſee, he will begin a Pſalme with great heauineſſe of hart, but, ere he come to the end, ye will ſee, in that ſame Pſalme, how he will rejoce, and with joy he will thanke. Then, looke Paul, in the beginning of all his Epiſtles, he commonly ſayes, I thank God for you; but what more? are ye in ſuch eſtate, that, I need not pray for you? No. Therefore, he ſubjoynes, euer praying for you. As he would ſay, as I am thanking God for you; ſo, I am a begger for you. Brethren, learne to pray, by example of theſe old fathers, who were better learned, nor we. When thou ſeekeſt any thing at God, thanke him alſo; there is not a more forcible argument to God, to mooue God to graunt any thing, nor to thanke him: I cannot knowe what tune a prayer can hauehave, without thanking: For, effectuall prayer cannot be vvithout thanking. To let you ſee this, in one word. Read Rom. chap. 8. verſe 36. and there, ye ſhall finde, that, the Spirit of Ieſus interceedes for vsus. Well, if the Spirit of Ieſus raiſe vp in the hart ſighes, and furniſhes thee prayer, it ſhall not be without thankſgiuing. And if thy prayer be any thing worth, it muſt come from the Spirite of God. Many vvill make a forme of prayer, but, vvithout the Spirite, it is but pra…ling: and therefore, their prayer is abho…nable. Therefore, enter neuer to prayer, but aske the Spirite of Ieſus to pray with. It is impoſſible to man to open his mouth to pray feruentlie, except the Lord open it by his Spirite. Dauid ſay in his 51. Pſalme, verſe 15. Lord, open thou my mouth and then, I ſhall preache thy praiſe. And Paul, to the Corinthians, ſayes, None can name the name of Ieſus and call him Lord, but by the holie Ghoſt. 1. Cor. 12. chap. 2. verſ. if the Spirit open not thy mouth, thou may bable of that glorious name, but, to ſpeake of it to thy comfort, and as thou ſhould doe, without the Spirite teach thee, it is impoſſible. Now, to returne to the matter. If the prayer be any thing worth, if the Spirit of Ieſus requeſt for vsus with ſighes vnſpeakable, then, impoſſible it is, but God muſt anſwere thee. The Spirit of … neuer ſeeke any thing at God, without effect. If the Spirite … prayer to thee, it is impoſſible, but thou muſt reſaue an anſwere. Rom. chap. 8. verſ. 26. it is ſaid, The spirt interceeds vvith ſighes vnſpeakable: And the Lord knovves the meaning of his ovvne spirite. A man ſighes not ſo ſoone with the Spirite of God, but, as ſoone is the ſigh conueyed vp to the preſence of God. And to ſpeake it plaine, the ſigh touches not the hart of man ſo ſoone, but, as ſoone it touches the hart of God; ſo, of neceſſitie he muſt receiue an anſwere. The very prayer makes a way and acceſſe to the preſence of God. And brethren, all the joy in this world is in that ſight and preſence of God. Thou neuer knew what joy was, that neuer got a ſight of God, in Chriſt. Then, what muſt joy bring out? (Prayer to God gets Gods preſence, the preſence bringes joy) What muſt joy bring out? Of neceſſitie, an hart, that rejoyces, muſt burſt out in thankfulneſſe. If the hart rejoyce, the mouth muſt be opened to thanke. Go to experience. Your harts was neuer touched with joy, but, either hart, or, mouth burſted out in thanking. Ioy cannot be without thanking, and the proper effect of joy it thankfulneſſe. Then, ye ſee, neither ſhould theſe two, Prayer and thankfulneſſe be ſeuered one from another, neither can they be ſeuered. It may be, our Spirit will make vsus pray and vtter not thankeſ-giuing; but, all that is partling and vttering of griefe, and not prayer; but, the Spirit of God prayes not without thanking God, and againe, he thankes not, without prayer. Now, to go forward. I hauehave made you ſee how theſe two goes together. But, to come neerer the purpoſe: We ſaid, whatſoeuer forte of prayer it be, whether it be asking or thanking, it ſerues to bring out joy, all tendes to joy; for, in joy is our bleſſedneſſe: I …ould you the laſt day, the bleſſedneſſe of man is in rejoycing in God. So, that, he who hes not that ſpirituall joy, hes no bleſſedneſſe, if they had al the world. Then, we ſee, prayer bringes joy, asking bringes joy, ſo, alſo, vve ſee, thanking bringes joy, thanking of God riſes on joy, thanking of God ends in joy, thanking of God ſtandes in the midſt. Prayer will begin with ſorrow, and it ends in joy, vponupon this joy commes thanking, vponupon thanking commes joy againe. So, all endes in joy. Would ye hauehave this out of the Scripture? in that 4. Philipp. verſe 7. drawes not Paul that peace of God, that paſſes all vnderſtanding, our of prayer and thankſgiuing? In all things, let your requests be ſhovv…n to God vvith prayer and ſupplication, vvith thankeſgiuing. Then, he ſubjoines, when ye hauehave prayed and thanked, that peace, ſayes he, that paſſes all vnderſtanding, ſhall guard your mindes in Christ. Then, peace riſes on theſe two groundes, prayer and thankſgiuing to God. So, thanking brings joy, aſvvell as prayer.
To go forward in the words. Thank him, ſayes he, in all things. As he would ſay, in all thinges, that are incident and falles out in the world, thanke him. As all is matter of joy, Proſperity and aduerſitie; vvell, vvoe; life, death; ſo, let all be matter of thanking, what euer he ſends, thanke him. Is it a great matter, to thanke him in proſperitie, when thinges goes well with thee? But, I ſay, thou haſt not the grace of thankſgiuing, except thou can thanke him aſvvell in aduerſitie, as proſperity, aſvvell in death, as in life. Then, I ſee, theſe three thinges, joy, prayer and thanking, they hauehave a common propertie, which is continuance, without intermiſſion, in all maner of thinges, in proſperitie, in aduerſitie, in well, in woe, in life, in death rejoyce euermore; in proſperitie, in aduerſitie, in well, in woe, in life, in death, pray euer. And laſt, in proſperitie, in aduerſitie, in vvell, in vvoe, in life, in death, in all thinges thanke him: Will ye go through them. As for joy, thy eſtate can not be ſo euill in the world, if thou be in Chriſt, but thou haſt matter of ioy: Then, againe, vvere thy eſtate in this vvorld neuer ſo good, yet, thou haſt neede to pray; for, ſo long as thou remainſt here, thou getſt not all graces: And laſt, if thy eſtate vvere neuer ſo miſerable, yet, if thou hauehave a grip of Chriſt, thou haſt matter to thanke God▪ Then, if this be true, hes not the Apoſtle ſaid well? Reioyce euermore. Then pray continually, then, in all thinges giuegive thankes to God: Let not therefore theſe thinges be vvords onelyonly, but, practiſe them in lyfe. There is none of vsus, but vve hauehave matter to practiſe our ioy. Who are in ſuch a miſery, but they hauehave ſome matter of ioy; yea, there are none of vsus, but we hauehave cauſe, to vſe all theſe preceptes; Rejoice euermore; pray continually; and in all things giuegive thankes.
Now, to come to the reaſon, in the next wordes. For, this is the vvill of God. In all thinges, in proſperitie, in aduerſitie, thanke him. Wherefore? Becauſe it is Gods will, that, ye ſhould thanke him, aſwell in aduerſitie, as in proſperitie; in death, aſwell as in life, it is his will, reſt on his will. Yet, brethren, to ſpeake one vvord of this vvill (I hauehave ſpoken of it ſundrie tymes before) I ſay, and the Scripture ſayes, The onelyonly light of this vvorld is Gods vvill.Gods vvil, the onelyonly thinge to be knovvn, & the only rule of our actions. And I ſay, the onelyonly knowledge and wiſdome, that a man can hauehave in this vvorld, is to knovve vvhat is Gods vvill. Fy on all the knowledge and vviſdome of men in this world, if they knowe not this. He will ſtart vp, and he will be called a vviſe man. All the Philoſophers vvould be counted vviſe men: but, vvhichwhich of all the Philoſophers did knovve vvhat vvas Gods vvill? And theſe tvvo partes of his vvill is ſpeciallie …oulds vsus in the Scripturel Firſt, vvhat vve ſhould doe, that vve may ſerue him. And then, vvhat he vvill doe with vsus. A vaine Philoſopher hee knovves much of nature, but knovves he the vvill of God? Knovves he it not? Then, he is a plaine foole. Knovves he theſe thinges? Then, he is a vvyſe man. Paul, to the Epheſians, chap. 5. verſe 17. Be not fooles, but vnderſtand vvhat is the vvill of God. Then, wherein ſtandes wiſdome? To knowe what is the will of God. Who is the foole? He that knowes not, what is the will of God. Who knowes Gods will is wiſe, and the end ſhall proue it. Then as the onelyonly true knowledge and wiſdome in this world is to know Gods will: ſo, the onelyonly … and ſquare of our life in the world, is the rule of Godds will. There are two thinges, we hauehave to ſeeke, knowledge and action. Would thou hauehave knowledge? Know Gods will. Would thou hauehave action and do any thing that would merite any commendation? Do according to Gods will. The rule, of all actions that is truely commendable in Gods ſight is his will: for, that man who hes the commendation of God, is onelyonly the man, that ſhould be commended; do any thing becauſe God hes willed thee to do it; go not to thy, own will▪ for, thou do, thy wil & maners not being agreable with Gods wil, ſhall lead thee to Hel. Then, do nothing, but, according to Gods will. Firſt, know what is Gods wil, and then, do nothing for al the world, but, that, which is agreable thereto. If thou doeſt thy own will, or, the will of any man, looke, that, it be conformable to Gods will and ſo, do it, otherwaies, not, and then, do it, becauſe it is the will of God, and not becauſe it is the will of man. Then, ſee ye not, how graue an argument, the Apoſtle ſets downe, knowing it is Gods will, that, we ſhould thank him ay, ſhould we not repoſe on his will? It is Gods vvill, vvhichwhich is the onelyonly light and rule of all actiones. Whoſoeuer knowes his will, they hauehave a faire light in all their actiones. A man will neuer wander wrong, who hes ſuch a light before his eyes. If thou ſee, that, it be Gods vvill that thou goe through wilderneſſe, through darkneſſe, yea, through Hel, obey his will and take journey, and I promiſe thee, thou ſhalt finde the faireſt outgait, that euer was. Count not of the way, if thou hauehave the light of the will of God before: It is not poſſible, that, Hell ſhall preuaile againſt that bodie, that ſettes the ſelfe to pleaſure God. Well is him, that ſets himſelfe to pleaſure him, who is Lord ouer all, and who onelyonly is able to pleaſure vsus all. The world ſhall not pleaſure thee, if God pleaſure the not. What matter to diſpleaſe all the world, if we ſet our ſelues to pleaſe him.
Marke, further, he ſayes, It is the vvill of God, tovvardes you. This is a ſpeciall will, that concornes all Chriſtians, not a generall will, concerning the world, but, a ſpeciall will, concerning you, that are Chriſtians, vvho hes giuen your names to Chriſt, and are tranſlated from this vvorld, that ye thanke him, in proſperitie and aduerſitie, in vvell and vvoe, there is the meaning. Then, ye ſee, in this place, a ſpeciall, vvill of God concerning this calling vve ſtand in, and the ſpeciall, vvill of God, concerning vsus Chriſtians, is, that vve thanke him: Chriſtian men and vvemen are moſt debtfull to thanke him, and ought, aboue all creatures, to thanke him: Fy on thee, that vvill take the name of Chriſt on thee and not thanke him. Thanke him in all things, he can lay before thee. It is his will, that thou thanke him, at leaſt, ſtriue to thanke him for well and woe, proſperity and aduerſity, for death, aſwell, as life. As for other men, Iewes, Turkes and Pagans, &c. that are not Chriſtians, God craues not this thankſgiuing at them. A maruelous thing. The Turke he hes the glory and wealth of the vvorld, and yet the Lord ſayes, I vvill hauehave no thankes of thee, neither in vvell, nor in vvoe, becauſe thou art not in Chriſt, all my glory is in Chriſt, all the ſeruice I craue in the vvorld is in Chriſt. So, the pratling of the Turke and Ievv, that makes them to thanke God, is all but vanitie, he craues it not of them. O, hovv great a honour is it, to call a man to thanke and to ſerue him. No, neuer King got ſuch great honour, as vve get, vvhen vve are called to thanke and to ſerue that King of Kings, all our glory ſtandes in ſeruing and making homage to God; ſo bleſſed are they that are called to this honour, through Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore, he ſayes, through Chriſt, meaning, that, in Chriſt is the matter of all thankſgiuing. There is matter in Chriſt, of all thankſgiuing. In vvell and vvoe, Chriſt is to me aduantage, both in lyfe and death▪ ſayes Paul. If thou haſt aduantage in death, vvhy ſhould not thou thanke him? In one word, where Chriſt is, there is matter of thankſgiuing to God, in the greateſt miſery we can be in the world. Againe, where Chriſt is not and who are not in him, as members of that glorious body, ioyned in ſociety with that glorious head, if they had all this broad world, they hauehave no cauſe to be merie, nor to thanke, no, to open their mouth to praiſe. And to ſpeak the trueth, they cannot be merie. They may laugh, but, the true ioy is in God, he is the Lord of ioy; a man may well laugh, but, he can hauehave no true ioy, except he hauehave Ieſus in his hart. That man in aduerſitie and in the point of death will laugh more ſweetly and vtter greater ioy, nor the greateſt worldly man in the midſt of his proſperitie. So, I ſay, and I command thee, looke, that, thou reioice not, without Chriſt; I ſay, to all men, reioyce not, but, be ſad, if thou haſt not Chriſt. The Lord hes not ordeined thee to be glad, it is his will, onelyonly that they, that are in Chriſt, reioyce, and be neuer glad vntill thou get Chriſt. I counſell you, if ye had all the world, if ye find not Chriſt in the hart be, neuer glad. What matter haſt thou to be glad, when the great God turnes his back on thee? It may be, he will caſt a kingdome to thee ouer his ſhoulder, as it were a bone caſten to a dog, what is that to thee, if thou get not his ioyfull preſence? Read Dauid, in all his Pſalmes, he was neuer glad, but, when he had the preſence of God.
Now, I come to the next precept. Quench not the spirit. The wordes are few, but, they conteyne great matter. Quench not the spirit, put not out the holy Spirit of Chriſt. Take heed. He …es bene ſpeaking before of the graces of God. What is patience in ſuffering wrong? What is joy? What is thankfulneſſe, but the graces of the Spirit? He hes beene before ſpeaking of his graces and recommending them to thee. Now he commes to that glorious perſon himſelfe, vvho is the giuer and vvorker of all theſe graces, of Patience, of Joy, of Prayer and Thankſ-giuing. The holie Spirit the third perſon of the Trinitie that God giues to me and thee, if thou be Gods ſeruant. It is vanity to think that a true Chriſtian man gettes onelyonly the graces of the Spirit: they get the verie Spirite. No, it is not the graces of the Spirite that will dwell in the hart and ſoule and bodie of a man; no, but the Spirit it ſelfe. The Spirit will dvvell as ſurelie vvithin thy hart as euer a man dvvelt in an houſe. That Comforter that Chriſt promiſed to his diſciples when he was going vp to Heauen, was not the graces of the Spirit; no, but, the Spirite it ſelfe to dwell in our hart, and to work it in al the graces. So, it is not the graces, but, the ſpirit he ſpeaks of, here, when he ſaies, quench not the ſpirit. Paul ſaies, Epheſ. chap 4. verſ. 30 Grieue not the holy spirit. It is a ſimple gueſtning to make thy gueſt ſad, make not the ſpirit of Chriſt ſad: Paul ſaies in another place, that the ſpirit is giuen thee as an arliſpenny of thy ſaluation. Epheſ. cha. 1. verſ. 14. Thou …oſes the arleſpennie, if thou make him ſad. But to the wordes. The ſpeache, when he ſaies,Quenching of the ſpirit. quenche not the Spirit appeares to be metaphoricall. It is borrovved and not proper and it is borrovved from a fyre or candle that vſes to giuegive light and heate. Then if it muſt not be quenched: It muſt follovve that the Spirite of Chriſt muſt be a fyre vvithin vsus; It muſt follovve, he muſt be a light inlightning our ſoules as a lanterne and lampe of light ſet vp within the darke and dead ſoule, to let the ſoule and affectiones hauehave light; and the Spirite of Ieſus ſhynes vvithin the darke ſoule of a man, as a lanterne ſhynes in a darke night, and puttes out that maſſe of darkneſſe that is in the ſoule of man. And therefore becauſe it is as a fyre, he ſayes, Quench not, And Paul to Timothie 2. Epiſtle chap. 1. verſ. 6. ſayeth, ſtir vp or kindle the gift that is in thee, it is lyke a flamming fyre, the gift of it is but a light or flam that commes from this fyre. So he ſayes, Stir vp, kindle vp the gift that thou haſt receiued. Now ye ſee by experience, a fire or light is two maner of waies quenched; take me away coales timber, or ſuch other matter to burne; take me away the nouriſhment that holdes in the fire, it will die out: Another way, caſt water on it ſmore it, it will alſo die out, albeit ye take not burning thinges from it. So it is with this heauenly fire: Firſt draw me away the meanes whereby the Spirit is foſtered, and the fyre of the Spirit is holden in (for as the fire feeds on the ſubject, ſo the fire of the Spirit feeds on the own nutriture and foode) take me away this foode of the Spirit, as thou ſeeſt a fire die out, ſo he will die out. Take me avvay this word and prophecying, euen this word preached, take me away the miniſtrie,Mean… to … the spirit. in ſpyte of thy hart the Spirite ſhall die out. The world would faine hauehave this word away, but this is a maine violence done to Ieſus, to put the light of Ieſus out of the hart: O Lord vvhat count ſhall there be at that great day for the contempt of this word! But is there no more to be had but the hearing of this word, to enterteine the Spirit of Ieſus? Yea. It will not be the hearing only that wil hold in the Spirit. Thy lyfe muſt be anſwerable to the word. Thou muſt feede him with holy motions and thoughts within the hart, feede him with holy ſpeaches in the mouth. Paul Epheſians 4. chap. 29. verſe, ſpeaking of certaine vyces to be contempned, he meanes planely that rotten talke puts out the Spirit. Laſt, he is fed within the ſoule with holy actions, that holds in the light of Ieſus Spirit: As the oile holds in the fire, take away theſe materials, the Spirit ſhall die within thee. The other meane to put him out is not onelyonly to draw away from him the matter he feeds on, but to giuegive him as it were poiſon to feede on. An harlot poyſons him with an harlatrous hart: A murtherer with a bloudie hart: A blaſphemer with a blaſphemous hart; we poyſon him with foull thoughts in the hart, foull ſpeaches in the mouth, wicked actions in the hands, this is water to put out the fire.
Then brethren learne one leſſon. As eueryevery one ſhould take heed to the graces of the Spirit, to keepe patience joy, prayer, and thankfulneſſe continually (theſe are the graces of the ſpirit) So ſpecially and before all we ſhould take heed to the work… of all, the holy Ghoſt that dwels in our ſoules as a temple. Take heed how thou treatſt him, what enterteinment thou giueſt him, looke that thou treat him well, doe eueryevery thing thou thinkeſt may pleaſure him abſteine from all thinges may offend him. Set thy hart to pleaſe him, and let thy pleaſure be in pleaſing him, and pray euer, Lord if thou haſt giuen me thy Spirit, giuegive me grace to enterteine him that I anger him not, Lord giuegive me grace to doe all thinges to pleaſe him, to doe nothing to offend him. Alas if a honourable man would come in thy houſe and take a nights ludging, thou would looke diligently that all the houſe and family were in good order. So hold thy bodie and ſoule in reuerence and order for the holy Spirits ſake that dwels in thee, othervvaies he vvll not ludge with thee. Murtherer, fyle not thy hands vvith bloud if thou vvould hauehave him to dvvel vvith thee. Paul ſayes 1. Cor. chap. 6. verſe 19. 20. The Lord hes boght thee out of the deuils hands, out of thy ovvne hands, for thou vvould loſe both thy ſoule and thy body, if it vvere in thy hand. He hes boght thee with the bloud of the immaculat Lambe, and to this purpoſe to be a ludging of the holy Spirit to dwell in. He is ſpeaking to harlots, he ſayes. Thou art not thy ovvn: Thou art boght vvith a pryce. God hes boght thee with the bloud of Chriſt to be a temple of the holy Spirit. Where the Spirit ludges, there is the Father and the Son, the whol Trinitie. So in effect the man boght with the bloud of Chriſt is a ludging to the Trinitie, the Father, Son and holy Ghoſt. Alas, if thou could looke to this, for all the world thou would not deſtroy that ludging of God. If once this trueth of God could ſinke in mens harts, for all the world they would not quenche this Spirit and defyle this temple of God. Alas the blindneſſe of men vvho knovves not vvhat eſtate they ſtand in for vvant of ſight and attention, for want of regarding of the trueth we go to Hell. And if euer thing was to be deplored in this world, this is to be deplored that the Spirit of God is abuſed; when he commes to ſanctifie men and wemen he gets villanie and wrong done to him: they wold pollute him when he commes to ſanctify them. Indeed he is diſludged of his ludging. Theſe murtherers takes him by violence, as it were, and with their hands puts him out of their hart by the ſhoulders. God keepe vsus from the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt. Goe thou on this way ay conte…ning the Spirit, thou ſhalt enter in this ſin vvhichwhich ſhall neuer be for giuen thee in this life nor in the lyfe to come.
Now to ſpeake of the way how we may know that we hauehave this Spirit. Theſe things cannot be told by words, thou muſt go to experience and there is none of you that hes had a taſte of the ſweetneſſe of the Spirit, but ye will feill him dwell in you; if ye hauehave him, thou wilt knowe him aſwell as euer thou knew any gueſt that ludged with thee, for he brings with him ſuch a faire light, ſuch a lyfe and joy, &c. that thou may eaſily know him. He commes in joy, in prayer, in thankſ-giuing, thou wilt knowe him in theſe, but thou wilt finde him in experience; if thou groweſt in his ſeruice to honour and reuerence him as he dwels in thee. To treat him as thou wouldſt treat a honorable man that ludges with thee; he will dwell with thee, but if thou be …uggiſh in theſe things, thou wilt finde he will draw himſelfe to a nuke of thy ſoule, as it were, for a tyme, thou wilt find him ceaſe from his working of regeneration within thee: if thou ceaſe to enterteine him by praier godlines in hart, holy ſpeaches in the mouth, holy actions in the hand, he will ly cloſſe within thee for a time and do nothing. And then if the man be godly, he will be …ad and ſory: For no ioy in the godly but when he feeles the Spirit within him. Now if when he is not well …, he depart: How much more when we ſtriue, as it were, to poyſon him, when we bring vp euill motions in ſpite of him, when we fall out in euill language in mouth, euill deeds in the hand, ſhall he withdraw himſelfe and depart, ſo that we will finde no ſenſe of joy? When a man failes to harlotrie, he ſmores the Spirit. As for exemple, Dauid, if euer man felt the Spirit of Ieſus in him, he felt him; yet when he fell to adulterie and murther the ſpirit lay ſo cloſſe in him that he found him not. Then he wakens, and ſayes. I hauehave bene ſleeping. I find not the joy that I was wont, and ſo he ſaies, Restore to me thy ſpirit again. Pſa. 51. verſe 12. Would he hauehave ſaid restore, except he had found the Spirit of God which he had before, withdrawen in working within him: What ſhall I ſay. No joy nor reſt without this Spirit be enterteinde within vsus. The Lord giuegive vsus grace to enterteine him in ſoule and bodie, in holy ſpeaches, thoughts and deeds. To this Lord be glorie and praiſe for euer.
AMEN.